Wired Words Book

In the beginning was the word. According to Steve Morris, writer and authority on corporate voice, the word is the building block of successful business. "Any company that doesn't learn to talk and listen fast will be dead within three years," he says. "The language we use will be the battleground where this modern war will take place." With the Internet changing the nature of customer-business relationships from passive listening to interactive participation, the one dimensional corporate brands created by personality-free communication will have to become a thing of the past. For those who still need convincing, the stylish Wired Words, sets out the right--and the wrong--ways for companies to use language on the Internet. As the key channel for person to person communication, e-mail is central to corporate success. Morris explains the importance of achieving the right tone and emphasises the advantage of an e-mail style which shies away from unnecessary formality and remains consistent across all employees. He shows how language helps brand a Web site and any product sold from it, offering a convincing account of how choice of words can attract--or repel--visitors. Providing visitors with feedback, he argues, is the equivalent of Internet conversation and essential if they are to revisit a site at a later date. Of course, this feedback must be delivered in the right tone and getting it right is crucial to any e-commerce site that wants to retain its customers. Some of the most interesting chapters in Wired Words revolve around the role of words in establishing brand personality and Morris puts it all in context with examples from real Web sites. His evaluations provide some real gems of insight. Wired Words could just be the last word on the subject. --Sandra VogelRead More